


Cultural Exchange

by Creme13rulee



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shipwrecked, Cecaelias, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Established Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Fluff, Human Viktor, Intersex Yuuri Katsuki, Interspecies Awkwardness, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Sex, M/M, Modern Fantasy, Possible Mpreg, squid!Yuuri, underwater oral
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2020-06-03 03:14:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19455175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creme13rulee/pseuds/Creme13rulee
Summary: Viktor and Yuuri are in love, the only problem is figuring out how to live together as human and cecaelia.





	1. 1

Viktor loved Yuuri.

Not only because he had saved his life-- pulling him from the water, feeding him for weeks while he recovered on a sandbar somewhere off the coast of Japan.

A last-minute vacation had turned into a disaster and then a miracle.

Viktor loved Yuuri because of his shy, private smiles, the way his tentacles curled when he was embarrassed… How somehow Yuuri’s six extra ‘arms’ were not human, but definitely helped comfort him when he felt touch-starved. How Yuuri was so eager to spend time with him-- and trusted him enough to ride on Viktor’s back, tentacles curled tight around Viktor’s torso and suckered tight when they walked around the island Yuuri had found for Viktor. As long as they didn’t let Yuuri dry out, they could explore the land together an hour at a time.

It had been weeks since Viktor had been a part of society-- a quick off-season trip-- but it was hard to miss it. Hard to miss it when he had Yuuri-- even harder when he eventually met Yuuri’s family in turn. If he ever felt lonely, Yuuri would bring the triplets and any thought of his old life was exhausted after a day in the tide pools.

“Yuuri,” Viktor spoke, laying in their favorite spot in Viktor’s new home. Part of the ocean ran up the beach, leaving a small pool of fresh cold water at the same level of sand. The perfect spot to take a nap together-- Yuuri in the water and Viktor on a mat of grass and leaves.  
“Can I kiss you?”

“What’s that?” Yuuri asked innocently, his tentacles curling with a stretch before going back to rest across Viktor’s legs-- a habit he took to after Viktor nearly got pulled out by a rip tide during a swim.

Viktor laughed. “You don’t know a kiss?” Yuuri’s cheeks blushed a cute shade of blue-- something unique to him--- half of his skin appeared black, but was really a deep shade of blue.

“No. Tell me.”

“Well.. it’s something you do with your mouth… to people you love.” Viktor cleared his throat, feeling awkward as Yuuri wrinkled his nose.

“Show me.” Yuuri sat up-- Viktor still was not over how flexible he was-- in fact, he was pretty sure Yuuri was mostly cartilage like his full-squid relatives.

Viktor followed, leaning in and brushing his lips against Yuuri’s. They were cold, but soft and smooth and tasted of salt.

Yuuri’s grip on him tightened-- his arms squeezing Viktor, his hands going to hide his face. Viktor gently pulled them down, lacing his fingers with Yuuri’s dark fingertips, the skin fading from black to a human pink closer to the palm.

“Bad?” Viktor asked softly. Yuuri made a soft noise, shaking his head.

“No. Good.” Yuuri flushed, leaning in and shyly kissing Viktor back .His palm stuck to Viktor’s like anemones in tide pools. He knew it was part of his biology, but Viktor liked to imagine that it was magnetism between them.

From then on, every greeting became a kiss. Viktor kissed Yuuri as he liked, and Yuuri did the same to him.

“I want that sun fruit.” Yuuri clung to Viktor’s back, his tentacles wrapped tight around his middle and arms hugging Viktor’s neck. Viktor carried a bag of sea water just in case.

“A mango?” Viktor smiled. They had found a tree on their last walk together, and although Yuuri hadn’t trusted Viktor at first, he was now obsessed with the fruit. Nothing sweet grew in the ocean after all.

“Mmm. Yes.” Yuuri kissed Viktor on the cheek, knowing exactly how to get his way with him.

Yuuri seemed to like the birds they met on the island, probably due to the similarity to the gulls who often dipped below the surface of his home.

Yuuri hated monkies however. Only because Viktor had laughed at the shriek of terror that had escaped Yuuri’s mouth when one had swung out in front of them on one of their first walks.

“Anything for my Yuuri,” Viktor sang, pushing past the bamboo and brush, trying to remember where he saw the fruit trees last.

“Vitya?” Yuuri asked, his arms hanging loose, fingers brushing Viktor’s chest. Viktor secretly relished the name-- he had tried desperately to be honest about human culture with Yuuri… but he had indulged himself a little with telling Yuuri to call him by his familiar name.

“Hm?”

“What do humans do to people they love?”   
Viktor gulped-- Yuuri could be so innocent-- and oblivious some times.

“Well… it depends. Family… or something stronger than that?”

“Strong love,” Yuuri’s voice grew softer.

“Well… people often marry each other… some others… are more physical before that.”

“Kissing?” 

“Yes. That. And more.”

“There’s more?” Yuuri sounded angry at that revelation. “You said your people kiss.”

Viktor gulped nervously. “Yes. There’s more. But it’s.. complicated.”

“My people mate for life,” Yuuri was always quieter when he was shy about a topic.

“That’s what marriage is like, I suppose. A vow to be with someone forever.”

Viktor slowed down, carefully moving to pull a mango from a branch so Yuuri wouldn’t lose his grip on his back.

“What makes you so curious, starlight?” Viktor had hold of the mango for less than two seconds before Yuuri’s sticky fingers took hold of it.

“...my parents think of you as my mate.” Yuuri said after a long moment. Juice dripped onto Viktor’s shoulder and the sweet scent of the fruit was heavy in the air.

Viktor found himself smiling. “There’s nothing I’d like more, to be honest.”

“If we mate, there’s a chance we could have chicks,” Yuuri murmured, his tentacles curling in embarrassment.

Small fluffy balls of yellow feathers flashed in Viktor’s mind. “Sorry?” He sputtered.

“Chicks. They come from eggs… well, the egg stays near the stomach until the chick is old enough to swim on its own.” Yuuri babbled. “Nevermind--”

“Are you saying… that you can get pregnant?”

“You can’t?” Yuuri avoided Viktor’s gaze, but let himself be pulled to Viktor’s front, still using his six arms to hold himself upright.

“Well-- no. Not without medical intervention.” Viktor paused at the look of confusion in Yuuri's soft brown eyes. “I’m sorry, I assumed you were male…”

“Male?”

“Hm.. the one who gives… ah… helps the one who carries the eggs.” Yuuri touched the redness on Viktor’s cheeks curiously.

“Oh. I am.” Yuuri studied Viktor’s face, cupping his cheek in his hand. “Mates will decide who will carry the chicks and who will inject the---”

“Oh wow! Okay!” Viktor stuttered. “That is very interesting.”

Yuuri stretched, barely able to pull a second fruit from a branch above them.

“I understand,” Yuuri answered softly, quiet for the rest of the walk.

~

“Yuuri…” Viktor breathed, pleasure curling in his gut and trailing behind every soft touch of Yuuri’s arms around him. “I want to make you feel good.”

“It does feel good,” Yuuri sighed-- they had been laying in a tide pool, making out for the last ten minutes.

“Even better,” Viktor felt too warm. “You--ah--” Viktor gasped as one of Yuuri’s arms slipped between his legs.

“Do you like that?” Yuuri’s eyes widened.

“Mmnnh-- you could say that,” Viktor panted.

Yuuri sat up, using his fingers to unbutton the front of Viktor’s pants and using his other arms to push the fabric down.

“Yuuri--!” Viktor gasped. “A little forward are we?”

“It looks strange.” Yuuri peered at Viktor, staring curiously at his hard-on.

“Yuuri, my love--” Viktor felt ridiculous-- until one of Yuuri’s arms curled around his dick, and he couldn’t form any sensical words.

“Yuuri--” Viktor panted, already close to the edge. “Where--where is yours?”

Yuuri flushed, even though he had initiated the action. “ Between my arms.”

Yuuri lifted what Viktor could call his hips-- although his soft white stomach faded into black skin just before what would really be his pelvis.

Viktor moved his hand across the slippery skin, Yuuri’s face scrunching up adorably, his arms writhing and gripping tightly onto Viktor.

“Ah--- embarassing--” Yuuri bit out-- it was only oddly textured soft and slightly slimy skin.

“I… I don’t know--” Viktor stuttered, before he felt a finger slip into a dip. Yuuri shuddered when Viktor slipped a finger in, slowly working until he fit another.

“Okay?” Viktor panted.

“More,” Yuuri pushed forward, until the spread of his arms was pushing against Viktor’s hips. 

“Are you sure?” Viktor panted, waiting until he nodded, his pale arms reaching out for him.

Viktor pressed into Yuuri, stopping at the alien sensation-- the slight sucking sensation and inhuman softness surrounding him. Yuuri was normally cold, but he was warmer on the inside, close enough that his tentacles could curl around Viktor entirely, and even caress his cheek.

He didn’t have to move much before he came, pleasure flooding his body. He sank into Yuuri as his stomach tightened and his tentacles curled, his mouth opening in a soft, inhuman cry.

All Viktor could think about was how cute Yuuri’s purple tongue was, Yuuri’s arms gently leading Viktor down into the sand and water. Yuuri clung to him, wrapping him in his many arms and nuzzling him in the mer equivalent of a kiss.

Viktor let his eyes flutter upward into the red and orange sky of the setting sun, his stomach dropping at the dark shadow and whipping blades of a helicopter whirred above them.

He had finally been found.


	2. 2

Viktor scrambled to his feet, Yuuri’s arms still tangled up and clinging to him. Viktor stared, the outfit he had been wearing for months dripping with sea water. He had enough mind to button his pants, uncomfortably slick inside them.

“Vitya?” Yuuri asked, and Viktor looked back-- a knot growing in his stomach. Yuuri looked so small from Viktor’s full height, his tentacles unable to hold him up like legs despite their strength. Yuuri’s eyes squeezed shut as wind started to whip around them as the helicopter prepared to land.

“Go hide!” Viktor called, Yuuri’s hands going to cover his ears at the loud chop of the helicopter blades. Yuuri could only shake his head. 

There wasn’t enough time.

Yuuri couldn’t leave his mate.

Viktor scooped Yuuri up, his tentacles immediately wrapping around him tightly, his face hiding in the curve of Viktor’s neck, his hands still shielding his ears.

“Viktor Nikiforov?” A man in a medic uniform called out over the noise even as the helicopter blades slowed.

Dread pooled in Viktor’s stomach. “Yes.” He called back, rooted to the spot. The pilot peeked from behind the medic, staring.

Viktor almost forgot that it wasn’t because they had found global celebrity Viktor Nikiforov: but that they had found him with a half-squid creature clinging to their missing person.

“Wonderful. We’re glad you’re alive. Are you injured?” The man asked, his Japanese accent thick on the English words.

Viktor looked to Yuuri. He had been-- concussed and bleeding from a sharp piece of metal from the broken fishing boat he had booked a tour on. It had been a whim. But Yuuri had tended to his injuries, applying medicine and feeding him water by squeezing sea sponges to his lips.

“Do we need to remove...it?” The medic gestured to Yuuri. Viktor could feel Yuuri’s grip tighten and anger flared in his own stomach.

“He’s not an it. He’s…”

“Mate,” Yuuri whispered into Viktor’s neck.

“Yuuri,” Viktor breathed shakily. “We need to leave. You need to hide.”

Yuuri’s finger traced the scar on Viktor’s shoulder lightly, his sticky skin dragging against Viktor’s. “It’s okay.”

“But Yuuri--”

“My parents will know. They already think we’re mates.” Yuuri somehow kept his voice even as his hand shook. “They’re going to bring you home, right?”

Viktor felt sick. He hadn’t thought of his home for weeks. He had even considered this island and the small shelter Yuuri had started to build as home before St. Petersburg.

Yuuri pressed a kiss to Viktor’s lips. He found comfort in the cold taste of salt. 

Viktor reluctantly took the medic’s hand.

~

When they landed on the mainland, Viktor was gripped with fear-- but it was emotion he fully expected.

Media was thick on the rooftop of the hospital. Viktor could smell the gasoline and pollution in the air-- and he knew Yuuri could smell the scent of civilization too, judging by how his nose wrinkled.

The medic helped Viktor down-- he had taken his vitals on the flight over the best he could. Viktor refused to let go of Yuuri, and they had been buckled into a jump seat together.

Lights flashed from one of the many photographers. Yuuri flinched-- and Viktor felt his shirt clinging to his skin-- wet. With ink.

Yuuri squirmed, hiding behind Viktor-- but there was no hiding his long arms, or the ghost of sucker marks on Viktor’s skin.

“For fucks sake--would a little privacy kill you?” Viktor snarled, his usual control lost. He ducked his head, looking for the closest door to the building and shouldering his way to it. When he stumbled into the stairway, he realized he was shaking.

“Yuuri?” Viktor reached behind him, searching for purchase. Yuuri slowly twisted his way back to Viktor’s front-- the deep purple-black of his skin had crept up from his fingers and waist , most of his skin the beautiful inky color. The whites of his eyes stood out like starlight, even though Viktor could see the fear in them.

“Oh. Love. You change colors.” Viktor panted, before hugging Yuuri close. He could feel his heart beat rapidly through his chest-- much like his own.

Yuuri didn’t answer, his chitin ‘teeth’ biting his bottom lip.

“Mr. Nikiforov---” another person in uniform interrupted them, standing at the other end of the flight of stairs they were on. They stared at Yuuri, and Viktor swallowed back a spike of anger.

“I need a room. With a bath.” He added, already worried about Yuuri’s skin. 

~

The actual building seemed to have better security, or at least privacy enough. Viktor kept the door to the room closed. He let the nurses hook him up to an IV, only because he could see Yuuri in the small closet- like bathroom, the shower running continuously. The dark color slowly retreated from his skin, but he kept his back to the room.

Viktor sunk back into the hospital bed-- it was the softest and smoothest thing he had laid on in weeks without worrying about injuring Yuuri.

He had kind of missed it.

He missed being able to share the water with Yuuri more.

Viktor awoke from a light doze, his heart racing at a wet weight slithering against his leg.

“Yuuri--” Viktor gasped, watching him climb from the floor and up to the bed, his hand inches from touching Viktor’s cheek.

“Sorry--” Yuuri withdrew, looking ashamed.

“No. Never be sorry. Should you be out of the water?”

“I don’t like their waterfall.” Yuuri pouted, worrying his bottom lip again. “I missed you.”

“Come here.” Viktor shifted on the bed, trying to make room for him. The way he moved was entrancing-- Viktor had almost forgotten how strange it was. He preferred carrying Yuuri out of the water-- his skin too soft and delicate to be injured by rock and grass.

Yuuri fit himself into Viktor’s side, his arms wrapping around him protectively. Viktor felt calmer at once, tucking a wet lock of hair behind Yuuri’s ear. 

“Am I a monster in your world?” Yuuri’s voice hummed against Viktor’s skin.

Viktor didn’t have an answer.


	3. 3

“Not a monster… just… different.” Viktor finally answered. But Yuuri didn’t look satisfied. His eyes remained downcast.

“We should go back.” Viktor bit out. “Everyone knows I’m alive, so they’ll stop looking for me.”

“But…” Yuuri sat up, rising so he could see Viktor’s face. “We just got here.”

“Exactly. We can easily go back.” Viktor faltered at Yuuri’s wilted expression. “Starlight… why do you look so sad?”

“I wanted to see your world,” Yuuri worried his bottom lip. “But I didn’t think of how you would feel about it. I’m sorry.”

Guilt bloomed in Viktor’s chest. It was great timing-- to turn Yuuri off human society altogether. What little Yuuri had seen had been frightening and strange. He had yet to see an ice rink, or an aquarium, or a dozen other things Viktor had told him about during their time together on the island.

“You haven’t seen the best parts…” Viktor sighed. “That I do want you to see. I promise. I’ll show you my world. But only if we can go back to yours.”

“Ours.” Yuuri smiled softly.

~

Japan kept them in the hospital , if only for a lack of better option. The hotel Viktor had been staying at forwarded his belongings-- Viktor finally was able to wear something more than the lightweight trousers and tshirt he had gone overboard with. However, his passport and wallet laid on the bottom of the pacific ocean. The embassy was hard at work reprinting the passport-- but as for his bank cards--

Yakov had them.

“Vitya, my boy!” Yakov growled, pulling Viktor out of a nap and into a bear hug. Yuuri stirred from his place at Viktor’s side, draped in wet towels and blankets. There wasn’t much to do in a hospital room with no money and no interest in engaging with media.

“Yakov,” Viktor grunted-- he could almost feel his ribs crack. “Good morning.”

“Always up to no good, thank God and all the saints you’re alive!” Yakov sounded angry, but he always did. It was the only way Viktor remembered him. The last time he had been soft was when Viktor was eight and Yakov was awarded guardianship of him.

“I haven’t been up to anything, Yakov,” Viktor yawned. “Welcome to Japan.”

Viktor no longer jumped at the slithering of tentacles across his body. Now it was just a reminder of who was there. 

“Yuuri,” Viktor kissed his cheek. “This is Yakov. My coach… and father.”

Yakov stared at Yuuri, who, under all the blankets looked relatively human.

“The kraken is named Yuri?” Yakov continued in Russian, although he had just heard Viktor use English with Yuuri. (Yuuri, it turns out, had learned english as ‘common language’ through taking lessons passed down from a sailor who had fallen in love with someone in his pod a generation or two before Yuuri ‘hatched’.)

“Yuu-ri.” Viktor smiled. Nothing could phase Yakov. When Viktor had brought his first boyfriend to dinner, Yakov hadn’t even blinked.

“Greetings,” Yuuri moved under the blankets, trying his best to sit up. Yakov watched the blankets undulate, his expression hard. But he didn’t say anything. 

Yakov grunted his response. “And what are you to Vitya?”

“Mates,” Yuuri answered simply, though his cheeks blushed purple.

“Ah. As expected of the boy.” Yakov sighed. Viktor felt vaguely insulted. “This complicates your career, Vitya.”

His heart dropped. “I’ve been enjoying my temporary retirement,” Viktor answered. “I’m not sure I want to go back.”

“That’s between you and the embassy. You’re at the end of your visa.” Yakov pulled his wallet from his coat pocket, pulling a plastic card and a burgundy booklet from his wallet.

“I’ll figure it out,” Viktor took Yakov’s copy of his credit card and his passport, flipping through the strangely empty pages. “Can I borrow your phone?”

~

Viktor soon replaced his iphone, using a friend from the ISU to order a few ‘necessary things’ from Amazon.jp, which he had delivered to the hotel he booked. It was an hour from the hospital via taxi, which was expensive, but the only way he could consider traveling with Yuuri until he got to his amazon packages. The new hotel had a jacuzzi tub in the main room, and Viktor hoped that the bed would be able to move closer to it. The honeymoon suite was expensive, but well worth it.

Viktor’s life was different now.

Yakov came by every day, hounding him to consider returning home. But Viktor was good at being stubborn.

He called a taxi for the hotel the night of their fourth day on land. Yuuri pouted at being woken up past midnight, grumbling as he wrapped himself around Viktor’s waist. Viktor carried a plastic bag heavy with wet blankets, assuming the hospital would charge him for them later. Yuuri was more important.

The taxi driver wore white gloves, and didn’t seem to care to look back. He blanched at the distance, but relaxed when Viktor added another bill to the stack he offered as fare.

Yuuri had to be guided into the seat next to Viktor, stiffening at the faux-leather seats, his shoulders rising as Viktor buckled him in.

“We have to be safe,” Viktor whispered. Yuuri was wearing one of Viktor’s shirts-- a little too wide for him in the shoulders, but thankfully so. Even with a bigger size, he still tugged at the collar, unaccustomed to fabric against his skin.

Viktor kept blankets wrapped around his tentacles, hoping that no one would look too closely.

Yuuri’s nails dug into Viktor’s arms when the taxi pulled out from the curve, a chirp of terror escaping his lips.

“It’s okay. I promise.” Viktor whispered into Yuuri’s hair, pulling Yuuri as close as he could. 

“It’s growling,” Yuuri hissed, his tentacles curling from the vibration of the engine. He flopped into Viktor whenever they took a turn. “It smells awful,” He whispered. Viktor smiled-- it didn’t, really, but Viktor had grown up surrounded by cars and petrol. 

“This is a car. Like a boat, but for land.” Viktor tried to soothe Yuuri, rubbing slow circles onto his back and shoulders.

“I don’t like boats either,” Yuuri replied weakly, melting into Viktor’s touch.

The hotel had the wheelchair ready for Yuuri, per his request to the concierge. The room he booked was the only accessible honeymoon sweet, but if it meant Yuuri could easily move around it, that was all that mattered.

Viktor knew Yuuri preferred riding on Viktor’s back, curled around him-- and to be honest, Viktor preferred it too. But it wasn’t something they could do in the company of others anymore.

Yuuri eyed the wheelchair suspiciously, as if it would jerk into motion like the taxi had. His tentacles stayed closely curled to his body, easily hidden by the blankets-- but it showed that Yuuri was tense. Viktor would have to show Yuuri how to push it himself later-- he knew now that Yuuri was incredibly strong, but his strength mainly remained in his tentacles at not his human-like arms. Though Yuuri was slim and muscular, he did most work and lifting with his tentacle arms.

He turned to watch Viktor move behind him and push the chair. His eyes widened, but he immediately liked the smaller wheeled contraption more than a car. Yuuri stared in awe at the large crystal chandelier in the hotel lobby-- it was an expensive international chain, the only place on the internet that talked about in-room baths that was up to Viktors standards.

“Is this the room?” Yuuri asked quietly, poking Viktor’s side when they entered the elevator.

“God, no.” Viktor laughed. “It’s a lift. It, um.. Helps us go up floors.”

Yuuri’s brow wrinkled, but he let it go. 

Viktor thanked the bellhop, pushing him out the door before he could notice Yuuri slithering out of the wheelchair and onto the floor. 

“Yuuri, we have to be--- wow,” Viktor forgot what he wanted to say. Thankfully the king size bed was close to the jacuzzi, and both were sprinkled with fresh rose petals. Viktor watched as Yuuri picked one up and sniffed it, biting it tentatively. “Love, those are just for decoration.”

Yuuri brushed the rest off of the lip of the jacuzzi tub, which was blessedly the same size as the bed, allowing him to finally be able to stretch out and relax. He immediately pulled at the facuet, having quickly learned from their time in the hospital room.

“Make it warm, please? I want to go in with you,” Viktor didn’t mean it, but he relished the purple blush that bloomed on Yuuri’s cheeks. 

“Mmm,” Yuuri nodded, adjusting the faucets accordingly.

“Here. They put candies on the pillow. These are to eat.” Viktor ripped open the plastic packaging on one and offered it to his mate. Yuuri took it, holding it to his nose before sticking his tongue to it. He lapped it into his mouth, his eyes widening at the flavor.

“Ah. Sea salt caramel.” Viktor read off the package. Yuuri worked his mouth around the chocolate-covered sweet, lifting himself up on his arms and snatching the second sweet from Viktor’s hands.

“Hey!” Viktor cried, trying to work up a convincing pout. “That was mine!” Yuuri pulled at the wrapped, unsuccessful in his attempts to open it. He finally hooked it onto a sharp part of his ‘teeth’, shoving it into his mouth.

“Let me try, please?” Viktor whined. Yuuri opened his mouth slightly-- but the sweet was already melted and sticky in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed, before climbing up Viktor part way to kiss him.

Yuuri indeed tasted like salt and sugar, dark cocoa and rich caramel. Viktor sighed into the kiss, his fingers finding the back of Yuuri’s head. His hair was still damp, but mostly dry and still incredibly soft. Yuuri wrapped himself around him, and Viktor’s stomach flipped as Yuuri moved them both backwards into the bath tub as it continued to fill. Viktor immediately was soaked, but it was a sensation he had long grown used to.

“Ah-- Yuuri, you tease,” Viktor gasped. His body instantly reminded him of the last time they were like this-- wet and entangled, minutes before being found and spirited away.

He was already growing hard.

Yuuri let out a long happy sound, stretching out to the full length of the tub with Viktor held above him. 

“Tease what?” He asked innocently, happy now that the water covered all of his skin. He glowed, moving Viktor in his grasp to kiss him again. “Vitya. Tell me how to make you feel good.”

“Don’t steal my chocolates?” Viktor squeaked, kissing Yuuri’s cheekbones as he rolled his eyes. “You make me feel wonderful all the time.”

Yuuri pouted, his arms moving around Viktor while his hands rested on his chest. “You said you’d show me your world.”

“I am. I promise.” Viktor kissed Yuuri’s nose and rubbing their foreheads together.

Viktor stiffened at the smooth yet knobby pressure against his pants. 

“Bad?” Yuuri immediately froze, and Viktor broke.

“No! No-- definitely not. Good. It’s good.” Viktor sighed. “I just… not used to it?”

“What do humans do?” Yuuri straightened.

“Well, same thing hands… Mouths…A-ahh!” Viktor shielding his face from the splash of water and twist of tentacles as Yuuri simultaneously let go of him and turned under water. Viktor fumbled to turn off the faucets-- the tub was as full as it needed to be-- and jumped at the soft nip at the fabric of his pants.

“Uh--Yuuri?” Viktor asked-- he was completely underwater, some of his arms breaking the surface, but his torso, hands-- mouth was under the surface. Viktor shuddered when Yuuri pulled him free from his pants and his soft lips encircled him.

“Yuuri-- aahh, Yuuuuuri--” Viktor gasped as Yuuri worked him. Part of him started to panic when Yuuri didn’t emerge from the water. It took Viktor a minute to remember that he could, in fact, breathe underwater, and that was what he usually preferred to do.

It made sense, but it also made it feel like Yuuri had superhuman stamina. Viktor felt his stomach tense and his toes curl in his socks before pleasure rolled through him. The orgasm ruined him, and Yuuri’s mouth kept at it.

“Yuuri---ah, love, please.” Viktor cupped his hands around Yuuri’s head, flushing as Yuuri licked his lips.

“Did-- did you swallow?” Viktor stammered, feeling his cheeks burn. Yuuri only blinked, unperturbed. 

“You look like you liked it.” He said coyly, though his cheeks soon flushed a darker color and his gaze avoided Viktor’s.

“Oh, I did, starlight. I love every minute I spend with you.” Viktor breathed, loose-limbed and relaxing into the water. “But.. I want you to feel good too.”

“I do,” Yuuri hummed shyly, wrapping his many arms around Viktor and settling on top of him.

“Give me ten minutes, love, and I’ll return the favor.” Viktor murmured. Yuuri wrinkled his nose.

“You don’t have any tentacles,” Yuuri said quizzically. “I mean.. Everything’s… internal.. For me.”

Viktor felt warm again. “What do you mean? How do you… uh, make babies?”

Yuuri lifted one of his tentacles shyly, the tip of it curling in as his cheeks burned with embarrassment. “You use it to transfer the… uh…” Yuuri frowned, his lips forming around a foreign word alien to Viktor’s ears.

“Okay.” Viktor said a little too loudly. “Maybe not with my mouth… but.. What we did… before. That was okay, right?” Yuuri nodded, his hands hiding his face. 

“Lay back, then?” Viktor cooed, and Yuuri rested his head against the padded side, a built in pillow for the jacuzzi. Viktor never wanted to leave. Yuuri lifted his lips, his arms curling back and revealing his core.

“What are you doing?” Yuuri gasped when Viktor started to work at stretching him, slow and gentle. They hadn’t seemed to need lube the last time-- Yuuri’s slime coat coming in handy for some things.

“Stretching you. It’s.. uh.. Humans need it.”

Yuuri’s eyes sparkled, but he didn’t say anything, but it felt like he was locking away that piece of information for later use. 

Viktor didn’t even think to ask if Yuuri really needed it-- he didn’t move away, instead pressing himself onto Viktor’s hand, arching his back with the movement of Viktor’s fingers.

Somehow, just the sight of Yuuri laid open in front of him made Viktor recover twice as fast, and he was hard again easily. He closed his eyes, drinking in the soft noises Yuuri made in response to him.

Viktor slid into Yuuri, shivering in pleasure as Yuuri pushed against him, his arms winding around him and squeezing him, his soft lips parting with a low moan. Yuuri’s body pulled at him, sucking him in, and it was hard to resist being taken in. He arched his back, moving faster, the gravity of Yuuri’s body and how easily he wanted to give in to him. It didn’t take long for him to release a second time. And unlike any other lover Viktor had been with-- who often pulled away and fell into bed beside Viktor-- Yuuri clung tighter, his face tucked into Viktor’s shoulder.

“Yuuri?” Viktor panted, unsure whether or not he had actually pleasured his mate or not.

“Mmm,” Yuuri purred, a tentacle wrapping around Viktor’s thigh. “ I like having you inside me.”

“Don’t say such terrible things, starlight,” Viktor gasped. Yuuri stiffened-- no doubt taking Viktor literally. “No, no--” Viktor shuddered at the soft sucking feeling of Yuuri pulling away. “I mean-- I can only come so many times in an hour--”

Yuuri seemed to relax, but only a little bit, pushing his soft, dark flesh against Viktor’s pale skin.

“We should go to bed soon,” Viktor hummed after a few minutes of quiet bliss. Yuuri just whined, curling a little bit tighter around Viktor’s waist. “I’ve gone soft, love. I’m sorry-- we can try again in the morning.” 

Yuuri followed Viktor out of the bathtub, taking his wet towels and clothing to wrap himself in while Viktor dried and cleaned himself up. 

They fell asleep together, Yuuri willingly returning to sleep at an early hour.


	4. Fish

When Viktor woke up, he panicked. Yuuri was gone, the damp pile of towels and clothing abandoned. Viktor fell out of bed, scrambling toward the bath tub, only to see Yuuri curled in the bottom of it under five inches of water.

It was nearly noon, but Viktor didn't want to wake him just yet. He flipped through room service, settling on a continental breakfast for two and calling in the order.

He fidgeted around the room, zipping and unzipping his suitcase and picking the tape off the pile of packages sitting on the rooms desk.

Within the orange envelopes contained Yuuri’s tickets to the human world: a wet suit, booties, waterproof duck tape, and a set of (hopefully) properly sized clothing.

Yuuri still isn’t awake when the room service was delivered, leaving Viktor to wake him. Viktor leaned over the edge of the tub, brushing his hand against Yuuri’s cheek. He found himself cooing, his heart melting at the bubble Yuuri blew at him, and the cute wrinkle of his nose in response to Viktor’s touch.

He slowly woke up, stretching and blinking heavy-lidded as he surfaced from the tub. Viktor pushed his long bangs out of his eyes, watching water drip from his nose and down to his chest.   
“Good morning, sunshine,” Viktor kissed Yuuri’s cheek, his heart lifting when Yuuri turned his face to kiss him on the lips-- he was cold but familiar, like home. “I got us breakfast.”

Yuuri crawled up into one of the chairs, leaving a damp trail behind him. He stared at the spread of eggs, toast and sausage, picking up a strip of bacon and holding it in the air.

Viktor was suddenly nervous-- the hospital meals had been mainly rice and fish. This was the first breakfast Viktor had chosen for himself since he had left home-- the island, that is.

His stomach stirred as he watched Yuuri’s purple tongue stretch out of his mouth and pull the strip of bacon into his mouth. His brow furrowed as he chewed and gracefully swallowed, his expression unreadable.

“How is it?” Viktor busied himself with pouring a mug of coffee out of the white plastic carafe the hotel staff had set up on the table.

“It’s hot.” Yuuri swallowed, using his tentacles to push him upwards so he could see what Viktor was doing better.

“Oh. Yeah, it’s cooked.” Viktor poured a mug for Yuuri, adding extra sugar and milk to it. From what he could tell, Yuuri had a big sweet tooth. He handed it to Yuuri, his dark fingers curling around the mug. He took a careful sip before his eyes lit up and he sunk back into his chair, keeping the mug close to his lips.

“Good?” Viktor chuckled, and Yuuri only nodded, keeping his mug tipped against his lips. Viktor felt around the table for the remote, turning on the big-screen TV for some background noise.

“I wonder if there’s any english channels..” Viktor hummed, pausing in his channel flipping when Yuuri jolted, his lips parting. Coffee splashed from his mug and dripped down his chest.

“What’s wrong,love?” Viktor tried not to panic right away. Yuuri squinted slightly, turning in his chair to face the TV.

“I know what they’re saying.” Yuuri set down his mug and slithered down to the floor. He moved to the tv, tapping the glass screen curiously as images flashed by. “It’s a little different… but…” His mouth stretched into a smile.

Viktor smiled back automatically at seeing the expression on his mate. “Well.. sounds like Japanese to me. I guess… it would make sense. Everyone’s been using English with me so far…”

Yuuri’s nose pressed against the TV as he peered in, and Viktor nearly melted from the cute, innocent gesture. “It’s like my phone, love. Just a screen.”

Yuuri’s shoulders wilted with disappointment and he crawled back to breakfast. 

“Viktor,” Yuuri asked, picking up a piece of silverware from the tray. “Why do they send weapons?”

Yuuri frowned, pouting when , instead of an answer, Viktor burst out giggling.

“That’s a fork, starlight. We use it to eat.”

“I know that’s a knife. But why do you need two shovels?” Yuuri pointed to the other pieces of silverware with the fork. “One solid and one with a net?”

“A fork can...stab… a spoon is for soft things, liquids…” Viktor blinked. He had never thought too hard about utensils before.

“But you can drink soft things without a tiny… spoob?” Yuuri frowned, clearly frustrated with the ridiculousness of human things. “Or just.. Eat.”

“It’s so our fingers don’t get dirty, I suppose.” Viktor shrugged. Yuuri clearly had experienced that, without the sea being there to instantly wash his hands. “I’ll feed you,” Viktor’s eyes lit up. That was definitely romantic-- all they were missing was candle light.

Romantic was an overstatement. Yuuri choked on the scrambled eggs and did not trust the buttered toast. Somehow the little plastic tubs of jam and jellies were fine, and Yuuri ate them straight with his tongue.

“Yuuri… why the jam?” Viktor asked after his fourth packet of it. Yuuri had tried a torn-off piece of toast, but his expression had said enough.

“It’s the same… feeling… as uni.” Yuuri answered simply. 

“Ooknee?” Viktor repeated with a huff. “Wait.” Viktor grinned, running to the bed and taking his phone off the charger.

“Say it again,” Viktor said, holding his phone to Yuuri’s mouth with his translator app open.

“Uni,” Yuuri repeated, looking a little worried.

“Aha!” Viktor shouted after the loading circle stopped spinning. “Morskoy yezh!”

Yuuri squinted again. “What?”

“Sea.. urchin.” Viktor translated it again, to what Yuuri called ‘common’, and what Viktor thought of as English. A quick few taps and Viktor showed Yuuri a picture of the animal.

“Yeah. Those!” Yuuri licked his lips, nodding enthusiastically. “You just cut open the---”

“Okay!” Viktor interrupted brightly. “We should go out for sushi!”

Yuuri sunk back in his chair. “N-no. This food is fine. I promise.”

“Yuuri,” Viktor sang, frowning. “I love sushi. We’re in Japan. It would be stupid not to.”

Yuuri still looked guilty. 

“I want to show you more of the world, love. In fact-- let me take a quick shower, and we can go out.”

“Mmm,” Yuuri hummed, looking up when Viktor stopped to peck him on the cheek.

Yuuri picked at the rest of the breakfast, waiting until he heard the rush of running water before he picked up Viktor’s phone off the table.

He mimicked the motions he had seen Viktor do, holding down the button and entering the numbers before opening Siri.

“Viktor Nikiforov” Yuuri spoke into bottom of the phone when the app binged. Yuuri jumped when the app said something in Russian to him.

It binged again.

“Google Viktor Nikiforov!” Yuuri stuttered. Viktor had said the strange word in the hospital when he first got the phone.

A new screen popped up, and Yuuri tapped the video results eagerly.

He was in the middle of The Lilac Fairy when Viktor dripped onto Yuuri’s shoulder, hands on his hips.

“You don’t need to go on Youtube, love. I’m right here. Much older, but I still skate.” Viktor sighed. Yuuri jumped, and Viktors half-smile instantly faded.

“You’re crying.” Viktor reached out, wiping a tear off of his cheek. Yuuri held the phone to his chest, hiding it under his dark fingers.

“I am?” Yuuri sniffled. “Oh.”

“Why?” Viktor sank onto his knees so he was on Yuuri’s level. “I’m not mad… we can get you a phone too… but you said you don’t read…”

“I.. I just thought… that it was really beautiful…” Yuuri flushed, his tentacles curling adorable. “I wasn’t really thinking of anything else.”

“You really are perfect, my rypka.” Viktor kissed Yuuri again.

“Rypka?” Yuuri was beginning to regret the realization he spoke human language.

“Hm… Fishlet. Baby fish.”

Yuuri’s expression turned deadly. “I’m not a fish.”

“It’s a nickname! Yuuri, please!” Viktor whined as Yuuri frowned, twisting away from Viktor.

“Not a fish!”

“But-- it’s--” Viktor’s eyes widened at the soft flesh jammed into his mouth. Yuuri had shut him up with a tentacle.

Yuuri soon pulled it back. “Viktor!” His cheeks were flushed a deep purple. Viktor hadn’t dressed yet.. And well, with the blush down to his chest, it was clear that Yuuri’s joke had done something else to Viktor.

“I can’t help it, Yuuri--” Viktor hid his face, regretting leaving the towel in the ensuite bathroom.

“Am I a fish still?” Yuuri stammered.

“No--not a fish at all.” Viktor gulped, trying to think of anything but Yuuri touching him, and how his body reacted to it.

“Okay. T-then go get dressed. Show me your world.”


	5. Outing

\---

It took another twenty minutes to get ready, and another fifteen for Viktor to help Yuuri into the wet suit. “It will help you pass as human and not get so much attention… like after the helicopter.” Viktor assured Yuuri. It was more constricting than Yuuri was used to, but his tentacles filled out the suit nicely-- in a way that made him look like he had deliciously thick thighs, even. Victor refilled the empty coffee carafe with bath water and carefully tipped it into the collar of the neoprene suit. He had to duck tape the booties to the ankles of the suit, but with khakis, thin socks and the shoes Viktor had ordered… it was entirely passable.

Yuuri watched Viktor’s face as Viktor’s fingers worked the buttons of his shirt. It was a blue plaid-- not something Viktor would wear, but it suited Yuuri. 

“My hands…?” Yuuri worried his bottom lip, spreading out his inky-black fingertips. 

“Hmm...well. We’ll say you’re an artist. Or a print maker.” Viktor frowned before taking Yuuri’s hand and kissing his knuckles. The sleeve of the wetsuit was tight on his wrist, and it extended past his sleeve, but it would pass for a pressure undergarment. What was important was keeping Yuuri’s skin protected and hydrated.

“Okay… bend your leg?” Viktor kissed Yuuri again, before grimacing. “Opposite way, love.. Human legs don’t bend that way.”

“Why can’t I just ride on your back?” Yuuri pouted as Viktor lifted him onto the wheelchair. The chair helped, however, as Yuuri arranged himself to sit comfortably. 

“We’ll be a spectacle… and well, I just want to be with you.”

Yuuri didn’t jolt at the movement of the chair, and he caught on quickly to operating it. By the time they reached the hotel elevator, Yuuri was pushing himself along.

“I’m smart, aren’t I?” they made it through the lobby without as much as a sidelong glance from other guests.

“I don’t like being so far away from your face,” Yuuri replied, honest to a fault.

“When we go back home you can ride on me as long as you want,” Viktor smiled, holding the door open for Yuuri.

He hadn’t had a plan, but he didn’t need to. Yuuri took an interest in every thing on the street that ran in front of the hotel. 

“It’s that burnt square,” Yuuri pressed his nose against the glass of a french style bakery.

“Oh? You mean the toast. It’s a kind of bread… there’s also pastries…” Viktor motioned to the back, pushing Yuuri up and over the threshold. The air smelled delicious-- baking bread and powdered sugar. The walls had book cases filled with square loaves of thick-sliced bread and gold trays with custard pastries. The front of the store had a glass case with the more expensive items--sculpted sweets, custard filled peaches and a rainbow of macarons. 

“Look,” Yuuri immediately found a mousse starfish, arranged on a graham-cracker crumb beach. If there was one way to get Yuuri to try new foods, it would definitely be shaping it into ocean creatures.

“Delicious. Ah-- one please,” Viktor looked up at the cashier, a young woman with her hair pulled back in a low ponytail. A young, flustered cashier.

“ _ Ano hitode hitotsu kudasai,”  _ Yuuri pointed to the starfish, and the woman, relieved, sprung into action.

“You’re a lifesaver  _ solnyshko _ .” Viktor smiled. Yuuri smiled back before frowning.

“That better not mean fish.”

The cashier and Yuuri said a few other things in Japanese before the cashier handed over a paper box, which Viktor had watched the starfish sweet be packed in inside a clear plastic container and a tiny ice pack. There even was two small plastic wrapped sporks set next to the sweet. All in all, it only cost 400 rubles-- less than a coffee at Starbucks. 

“It means sun. Sunlight. Light of of my life.” Viktor bowed awkwardly in thanks, holding the paper box so Yuuri could wheel himself to the other side of the shop. “Ah, well, let’s eat it here? It’s against etiquette to eat on the street.”

Yuuri blinked, taking the box and setting it on his lap, carefully tearing open the sticker seal. “Why does it matter where you eat? As long as you’re clean…”

“Not my culture, love.” Viktor pulled out the sweet and a spork, knowing that Yuuri would not passably use his anyway. “Say ‘ah’.”

“Ah?” Yuuri obliged, eyes widening at the bite of white chocolate shell and mousse on his tongue.

“Good?” Viktor smiled. Yuuri nodded, opening his mouth and repeating his “ah”.

“Mmmmm,” Viktor took his own bite. Yuuri mimicked the sound he made with his next bite, closing his eyes and savoring it.

“Peach… isn’t it?” Viktor let the flavor coat his tongue. Yuuri shrugged. “It’s softer than the tree fruit.”

Before, Viktor had only had a lucky mango tree to treat Yuuri. Now, he conceivably had all of Japan and all of the flavors of the human world to spoil him with.

Viktor hadn’t thought of skating even once that morning-- purely of Yuuri, and what their future together would look like. And Viktor wouldn’t have it any other way.

They passed sweet little cafes, ducked into storefronts when busses passed and scared the seaweed out of Yuuri. They spent two hours in an arcade playing crane games in  _ Taito Station,  _ ultimately leaving the crane game floor with a stuffed banana toy and a keychain of a corgi inside a hot dog bun. Yuuri tried a driving simulator, but managed to get the lowest score possible by continually driving into the course’s water features.

“Oh! Yuuri, look! Photobooths!” Viktor tapped the picture on the signpost, pushing him into the elevator to go up yet another floor. “They call it Purikura!”

Viktor had a book full of the decorated photobooth stickers from his first NHK trophy during his junior years. A few strips with Chris had joined the older ones, but no one else seemed to share his love for them.

Viktor chose the booth with the most rosy-cheeked model on the curtain, feeding in the coins from his new wallet.

“Here,” Viktor lifted Yuuri from the chair, tilting his hip to help Yuuri find purchase on him. “Smile!”

The first photo had Yuuri dazed, but by the third shot they were able to mimic the poses for ‘Couples Course’ including a sweet shy kiss. Viktor decorated the first strip by himself, typing in their names and stamping hearts over the image before it printed out. However, after Viktor asked if they could do a second one, he was on the same page, blindly tapping on buttons and holding the pen with his fist as he added ‘stickers’ onto a photo of them cheek to cheek.

“Ahh-- there. Viktor.. And Yuuri.” Viktor finished writing in sparkly digital pen. “Look! It’s in Russian.” Viktor grinned. He felt like a teenager, but in a good way. Yuuri took him as he was, smiling and looking at the symbols. 

Viktor had tried to teach Yuuri before-- but on the beach, Yuuri had told him that it wasn’t possible. His people’s entire history and language was oral-- there was no point in marking something that would just be washed away by the current. 

Yuuri hadn’t touched the pen button at all, arranging hearts and stars around their pictures and stamping their names on the pictures.

Yuuri traced the tiny letters on the print, holding his half of the purikura print as Viktor rolled them back to the elevator.

“Hungry, love?” Viktor felt smitten just watching Yuuri stare at the tiny decorated photos of them, so carefully held in Yuuri’s fingers.

“Yeah,” Yuuri nodded, not looking away from his photo. “Real food, please.”

Viktor laughed-- cooked eggs were just was much food as raw oysters… But Yuuri was stubborn as much as he was sweet.

They didn’t have to go far-- Viktor had spent a few minutes researching restaurants that looked smaller. Mainly for their privacy, but also so that Yuuri didn’t get overwhelmed by crowds. His first step on the mainland had been a bad enough experience.

Yuuri leaned forward as they pushed through the front door, salivating the second he saw the chef expertly slicing fish right in front of the bar.

“Why is he taking the heads off?” Yuuri murmured disappointedly when Viktor moved a stool closer to Yuuri’s chair. 

“Uh… I suppose because we don’t eat them?” Viktor smiled, waving at the one hostess.

“Wasteful,” Yuuri retorted softly, leaning his head against Viktor’s shoulder. Viktor flushed, smiling subconsciously. He closed his eyes, listening to Yuuri and the hostess talk in Japanese.

“Do you want… um.. ‘Cha’?” Yuuri nudged Viktor. 

“I know this! Tea. Yes, please.” Viktor was pleased at Yuuri taking charge. “What did you order?”

“A plate of all their fish.” Yuuri blinked, picking up the black lacquer chopsticks set on the table in front of them and turning them in his hands, peering at them curiously.

“Ah,” Viktor imagined thousands of rubles disappearing from his bank account.

He didn’t really mind.

The sashimi was delicious, bright and flavorful. Yuuri had no problem downing mouthful after mouthful while Viktor carefully folded pieces of tuna over lace-like shredded radish. Viktor only went his stomach seize once, watching his inhuman lover bite into the skull of a half-defleshed fish as if it were a bagel.

It was nice, too, being able to sit on the same level as Yuuri and have him curl around and cling to Viktor like he did back home on the island.

Yuuri was nearly purring with pleasure when the check came, licking the newly-discovered treat of soy sauce off his fingertips.

“How are you doing?” Viktor ran his fingers along the high collar of Yuuri’s wet suit. It looked pink-- despite never being sunburned, he could tell Yuuri’s skin was sensitive.

“Can I get out of it?” Yuuri perked up. Viktor instantly felt guilty, going back to his phone to get GPS back to the hotel room. They got lost two times despite it, but Yuuri remained in a good mood until Viktor pulled down his zipper the moment their hotel room door closed.

Yuuri spilled onto the floor, pulling his many tentacles out of the legs of the suit and stretching out in the middle of the room. 

“That bad?” Viktor asked before he caught himself.

“New. Wierd.” Yuuri answered, a little guiltily. “I miss swimming.”

“We should go to the beach…” Viktor frowned, sitting on his bed.

“No.. it’s okay. Really. I want to see how it is to be human.” Yuuri slithered toward the bed, perching his chin on Viktor’s knee.

“Not if it’s going to hurt!” Viktor stared at the indents on Yuuri’s neck and wrists from the tight fabric seal. It had only been a few hours.

“It doesn’t hurt. Not as much as you did when you got burned in the sun.” Yuuri stared back at Viktor, knowing he would win this fight.

~

Viktor came out of the shower the next morning to see Yuuri with his phone again, brow furrowed and screen nearly to his nose.

“Want some help, love?” Viktor leaned over Yuuri’s back. Thankfully Yuuri had remembered their discussion about human electronics-- and he had kept it far away from the jacuzzi tub. His eyes widened at what exactly Yuuri was holding close to his face.

“Wow,” Viktor gulped as Yuuri flipped through another piece of artwork of a woman pleasuring herself with a decidedly less-human cousin of Yuuri’s. “Maybe tell me if you want to look at tentacle porn?”

“Porn?” Yuuri frowned. He shook the phone frustratedly at Viktor. “It’s useless. Find something that tells me how.”

“How….?” Viktor heard himself squeak a little. 

“There’s pictures, but that doesn’t look like you do.” Yuuri grumbled, pointedly tapping at the phone screen. “I know humans like it. But I don’t know how. There’s-- there’s no---  _ souhaisetsukou.” _ Yuuri pulled at his face, clearly irritated.

“A what.” Viktor blinked. “Yuuri...do you mean...you want to know how to have sex with me?”

It was Yuuri’s turn to flush. “I know how...We just..”

“I mean… you want to be inside me?”

Yuuri covered his face in his hands, the chromatophores in his skin spreading the dark color from his tentacles up to his face. He really wanted to hide.

Viktor waited.

“Uh-huh.” Yuuri whispered, flattening himself against the chair. 

Viktor scooped Yuuri into his arms instead, hugging him tightly. “Thank you.”

“Wha?” Yuuri squeaked. “But I haven’t--”

“No one’s ever done something like that for me.” Viktor had been with partners before, but it always had been about what they wanted. “Cared so much. Thank you, starlight.” Viktor pressed a kiss to Yuuri’s ink-black cheek.

“Let’s get dressed. We’re going to get you some glasses.”


	6. Glasses

Yuuri pressed a kiss to Viktor’s wrist as he poured a cold kettle of water down the neck of Yuuri’s wetsuit. He had no idea what ‘glasses’ were, but Viktor seemed excited, so he was too.

Viktor found a store inside a nearby mall that boasted one-hour service on google translate. It was far enough that they had to hire a taxi. Yuuri plugged his nose while Viktor showed the drive the address on his phone.

Yuuri stopped pushing his chair when they entered the mall-- his eyes wide and staring upward, lit by the skylight six floors up. 

“Okay?” Viktor touched Yuuri’s back lightly, grounding him. 

“Big,” Yuuri breathed, shaking his head and focusing on the crowd in front of them. He rolled forward, only to stop in the food court. He stopped, entranced by couples and children leaving the counter with pastel curly-cued ice cream. The air smelled sweet, warm with the vanilla scent of baking waffle cones.

The wonder turned to instant need when a child danced by Yuuri , his tiny hands wrapped around a fish-shaped cone, its mouth wide and full of green tea ice cream.

Yuuri gasped, the child thankfully dancing out of his grip as he went to grab at the fish-ice cream like a child himself.

“Oh, taiyaki!” Viktor pulled Yuuri back by the rear handles of his wheelchair. “Let’s share one, solnyshko?”

“I want the seaweed one,” Yuuri’s eyes sparkled, making Viktors heart squeeze. He really didnt want to dissapoint Yuuri, so he leaned in close when he asked for ‘matcha’ at the counter. 

“Before you eat it, let me take a picture,” Viktor held out the paper-wrapped cone, laughing at the face Yuuri made. “Of you, love.” 

Yuuri had never grown accustomed to photography--- it was something he only encountered since Viktor bought a new phone. He always looked a little caught-off guard, never finding the lens with his eyes. 

“Smile, love.” Viktor giggled, snapping a photo of Yuuri even without his sweet smile.

“I want to eat it,” Yuuri huffed, before offering Viktor a soft smile. 

“Try it!” Viktor kept snapping photos as Yuuri stuck out his purple tongue to taste the new confection.

His eyes widened, his purple tongue sliding around his lips. His eyes moved, searching behind Viktor before he ate it more humanly, licking the top curl off the softserve.

“Your turn.”

Viktor stole a kiss, relishing the blue blush on Yuuri’s cheeks. It wasn’t normal, but everyone was too busy to notice Yuuri’s inhumanness.

“Delicious,” Viktor purred. Yuuri sank lower in his chair, biting another twist of ice cream off of the cone before crying out. Viktor panicked for a second, watching Yuuri’s eyes squeeze shut, realization bringing him relief. 

“It’s cold. Don’t eat so much that it touches the top of your mouth.” Viktor rested his hand on top of Yuuri’s, taking a real taste of the ice cream. They shared the rest of it, enjoying it enough that Yuuri licked the melted ice cream from his fingers.

When they arrived at the glasses store it was empty, an employee walking up to them right away. They gravitated to Yuuri, speaking in fast, formal Japanese. Viktor could see Yuuri stiffen, understanding enough to get by but not enough to be comfortable. His brown eyes sought Viktor’s.

“We want to get you a set of glasses. One hour service. Tell them I’m your helper.” Viktor spoke in English, Yuuri relaxing as he parroted the words in the Japanese he knew. They took him to the room, handing Yuuri a clip board a pen. He held it strangely, with the tips of his fingers, panic back again as he stared at the thick round script.

“Oh...blyad.” Viktor took the clipboard, praying to every saint and japanese god that technology would save him. Thankfully, the automatic translation app on his phone worked well, the AI floating the english over the kanji. Viktor filled most of it, switching to copy the address of their hotel from his note app. He wrote english first, vowing to go back to translate. He made sure to mark ‘swimming’ down as special considerations, drawing a line down the ‘no’ column of medical history.

It somehow worked out, and Viktor lifted Yuuri into the examination chair. He shrank away from the refractor when the doctor swung it toward his face. Thankfully the test didn’t involve any reading beyond reporting what direction small arrows pointed on a poster. Viktor recognized basic numbers in Japanese when the doctor started flipping the lenses in the refractor. His heart swelled with pride as Yuuri expertly answered, his eyes on Viktor when the machine swung away from his face. 

They returned ten minutes later with a prescription, handing the paper to Yuuri.

“Let’s go shopping.” Viktor stood up, excited and relieved all at once.

Viktor pulled frames off their plastic stands, the displays too high for Yuuri to reach from his chair. He started with a golden round frame similar to Chris’, sliding it onto Yuuri’s face.

Yuuri wrinkled his nose, the strange sensation on his skin new to him. Viktor frowned, pulling them off of his face. Black square frames were next-- basic and rust-proof. Viktor put them aside for consideration, trying at least one frame from each column.

Three frames into the process an employee handed Yuuri a mirror. Viktor had him look at each option, his expression blank until the fourth column of options. Viktor slid a pair of blue browline frames, the silver edge sparkling against Yuuri’s tan skin. Perfect.

Viktor handed over his credit card, signing whatever paperwork they handed over while they adjusted and took measurements of the frames on Yuuri’s face.

They walked up and down the row of stores while they waited for the lens to be cut in the lab. They spent most of the time in the hundred-yen store, leaving with a waterproof phone bag, a bag of honey potato chips and a green fuzzy pillow that stayed in Yuuri’s lap for the rest of the shopping trip. Viktor bought a few more shirts for Yuuri in the next store, and an ivory cable-knit sweater in the next. Yuuri pulled it on as soon as it was purchased, the sleeves long enough to end just before his fingertips. 

“What about you?” Yuuri frowned when at the next store, Viktor bought Yuuri another sweater.

Viktor paused. He hadn’t even noticed that he was lavishing Yuuri with gifts.

“I already have everything I want.” The answer came easily to Viktor. 

Yuuri looked skeptical, his mouth a thin line as Viktor helped him navigate the tight corners of a stationary store.

“Give me the card.” Yuuri announced when they left the storefront.

“What for?” Viktor blinked, going for his wallet regardless.

“You need something.” Yuuri replied flatly, taking the card and pushing his chair down the walkway. The only store left in this section of the floor they were on was a jewelry store.

Viktor followed Yuuri in, nervous at the coo of the store clerk in reply to Yuuri’s request. His heart beat faster when Yuuri followed the woman to a corner of the store with glass cases and velvet trays. 

Rings.

“ _ These come as a set. _ ” The clerk removed a tray, setting it on Yuuri’s level. His dark fingertips danced over the rows of rings-- silver, inlaid with gems , rose gold and kings gold in neat rows. The gold shone the brightest against Yuuri’s skin-- and even though the word gold made Viktor’s stomach flip-- he knew it had to be that.

“Gold,” Viktor whispered, blinking away the blurriness in his eyes. 

Yuuri pointed to one of the pair sets in gold. He slipped his finger into the ring sizer, the clerk automatically guiding it onto his fourth finger. She awkwardly held it up to Viktor, before speed walking into the back room.

Viktor tried not to look at the total at the register, instead staring at the black velvet box. Trying not to cry.

It was not the glamorous engagement he had dreamed of as a lovesick teenager. It was the opposite- Yuuri slipping the ring on his finger in the middle of mall under fluorescent lighting. 

Really,their engagement and marriage had been on the shore of their island, consummated in a tide pool.

But it didn’t matter, especially when Yuuri kissed Viktor’s knuckles. 

“Now we’re human married.” He murmured, the pride obvious in his tone. Viktor wouldn’t dare correct him, sniffling when he took the second ring and slid it onto Yuuri’s hand. It wasn’t likely that Yuuri had done it on purpose, sliding it onto the right hand-- the hand of marriage of Viktor’s country. Everyone in Japan had it on their left. Yuuri was trying his best, and ended up being perfect.

The timer went off on Viktor’s phone just as they kissed.

“Glasses are ready!” Viktor smiled, nuzzling Yuuri’s cheek in his culture’s way of kissing.

Yuuri had spent enough time trying on glasses that he slid the glasses on himself when the slerk handed them over. Despite the hours long process, something had not clicked and he gasped at the clarity when the glasses slid onto his face.

His wide eyes found Viktor.

“Okay?” Viktor knelt next to his chair, heart stuttering when Yuuri’s finger traced the bridge of his nose.

“Freckles..” Yuuri breathed, his finger resting on the particularly dark one by Viktor’s ears. He found the small scar on his jawline from Viktor’s first attempt at shaving. 

His nose wrinkled, the pressure on his nose strange, but he never moved to take the glasses off.

“I love you,” Yuuri whispered into Viktor’s ear. Viktor caught him before he slid all the way out of his chair. Viktor craved the pressure of Yuuri’s tentacles curled around him, but his lips and hands were just as good.


	7. Dinner and a Movie

Yuuri filled up Viktor’s camera roll, photo upon photo of Yuuri in his glasses, Yuuri sleeping against his chest, Yuuri in any pose at all. 

Viktor kept the most precious moments in his minds eyes. Like their first time using the hotel TV and Yuuri’s delight at the remote. Viktor had gone dizzy with the rate at which Yuuri was changing the channels. Thankfully the novelty wore off quickly and Viktor was soon able to settle down and watch a movie with Yuuri wrapped around him. His many-armed touch was a comfort and enough of a distraction-- Viktor had stopped in a grocer on the way home and picked up a small paper envelope of clams. Clams that Yuuri levered open with his chitin teeth and ate raw and cold. As long as Viktor didn’t watch Yuuri too closely, it was okay. It was worth it just to see him smile.

Two thirds of the way through the movie and Yuuri’s hands were roaming Viktor’s body as well as his tentacles, his nose nuzzling at his mate’s neck. Viktor hummed, closing his eyes and smiling when Yuuri’s nuzzling turned to open-mouth kissing.

“You’re distracting, love,” Viktor said, not complaining at all. He gasped at Yuuri’s response, a tentacle curling under his shirt playing against the waistband of his jeans.

“I’ve been waiting for you to notice,” Yuuri huffed, crawling into Viktor’s lap and blocking the view of the screen.

“We don’t have to watch a movie you’re not interested in,” Viktor sighed, flushing at the brush of another arm across his inner thigh.

“I like the moo-vies. But… want to do this more.” Yuuri’s tentacles cupped an even more sensitive place.

“Me too! Me too.” Viktor gulped, nodding furiously. 

Yuuri smiled devilishly, tugging Viktor’s shirt off over the top of his head. He struggled with the zipper and button at Viktor’s hips. Viktor let him struggle, trying to hold it together long enough to get to the bed.

“This isn’t a good angle for me to get you, love.” Viktor gasped, sliding his fingers under Yuuri’s to assist him the moment his face pinched with frustration.

“That’s okay. It’s not about me… its for you,” Yuuri paused, brushing his cold nose against Viktor’s. 

“Oh. Wow.” Viktor gulped. One of Yuuri’s tentacles pulled him out of his panties while another slid up his back. “Oh-- Wow-- uh--”

“Is it okay?” Yuuri froze, looking down into Viktor’s eyes.

“Yes-- Oh god, yes. But-- we need something, okay?”

Yuuri begrudgingly slid back onto the couch while Viktor hobbled to his suitcase. He fished out the lube he had packed-- toy-safe, but it would do for tentacles as well. 

“I’m-- humans aren’t as stretchy or slimy at you are, love.” Viktor held the bottle out to Yuuri, who took it curiously. He knew the concept of bottles-- he had watched Viktor wash his hair in the bath before.

Yuuri’s face lit up with recognition the second he squirted a palmful of lube into his hand. “Oh.It’s the potion they use--”

“Who, use?” Viktor sputtered, wincing as the lube dripped off Yuuri’s hand and onto the couch. “Let’s go to the bed?” 

Yuuri frowned, rubbing his fingers together. “The people on the video on how to have sex with a male.” He said matter-of-factly. 

“Yuuri--” Viktor purred in half-wonder. “What do you do when I’m in the shower?”

“Research.” Yuuri said flatly, slithering across the floor and climbing up onto the bed. Viktor joined him, had abandoned his panties on the way to his suitcase. Yuuri seemed to exist mostly naked, though Viktor hadn’t noticed until that exact moment.

“One finger…” Yuuri hummed. Viktor felt an instant jolt of pleasure just at the sensation of Yuuri’s arms wrapping around his thighs and lifting him, arranging him so Yuuri could slide a well-lubed finger inside of him. Viktor laid back on the bed, pulling pillows behind him as Yuuri held him. Another tentacled arm wrapped around his cock and stroked him, slowly but firmly.

Viktor moaned, something about Yuuri’s inky black fingers and the magnetic touch on them making the drag of his finger inside him so much more. Yuuri massaged him open, asking before adding a second finger.

“Yuuri---are you enjoying this too?” Viktor gasped, bucking his hips when Yuuri brushed his prostate. Yuuri flushed a deep purple.

“Of course I am.” Yuuri murmured. Viktor sunk back into the bed and pile of pillows at Yuuri’s third finger. 

“S--sorry.. It’s hard… to tell,” Viktor moaned again as Yuuri worked him slowly. “You don’t--”

“I don’t what?” Yuuri pulled his fingers out of Viktor, leaving him feeling empty and hungry.

“You don’t…” Viktor breathed. “Get… hard?” 

“What… this?” Yuuri poked at the head of Viktor’s cock dismissively. Viktor whined at the touch and the pseudo-insult. 

“It’s okay--- I know it's all internal because you can bear children--”

“Don’t be silly. Something like yours… its asking to be bitten off by a fish.”

“Yuuri,” Viktor whined. “That’s not very good pillow talk.”

“Mine is more useful.” Yuuri slid his shortest tentacle across Viktor’s stomach, puffing his cheeks out in an adorable, disastrous pout.

Viktor felt his blood boil and his cheeks burn. “Oh my god-- is your entire arm your di---”

Yuuri popped another tentacle into his mouth, his hands covering his face. 

“Stop making it sound so weird!” Yuuri shuddered at the sensation of Viktor moaning against his tentacle, his tongue lapping at the suckers on the sensitive underside. 

“Is it?” Viktor breathed when Yuuri’s arm retreated enough for his tongue to form words.

“Maybe,” Yuuri huffed. “Is that okay?”

Viktor raised his arms, cupping Yuuri’s cheeks in his hand. “It’s more than okay. It’s amazing.”

“Can I be inside you?” Yuuri asked hesitantly, his cheeks flushed and softly squished between Viktor’s hands.

“ _ Please. _ ” 

“Can I make you feel good?” Yuuri asked as his arm slid downward to Viktor’s entrance, slipping smoothly across the lube and stretched skin.

“Please,” Viktor gasped, his thighs trembling when Yuuri pressed into him. He saw stars just from Yuuri filling him, his mouth filling with drool at the sensation.

“Okay?” Yuuri sounded worried. Viktor tried his best to buck up against Yuuri, letting out a broken cry.

“Yes-- more!”

Yuuri gently moved Viktor onto his back, his slick weight on top of him as his arm pumped in and out of him. Viktor felt overstimulated and perfect all at once, his toes curling as he came twisted in the bedsheets.

Viktor tensing around Yuuri brought him to the edge as well, and Viktor spend the ebb of his orgasm trying to place the strange sensation inside of him. A stretch and fill just beyond Yuuri.

Viktor let his eyes flutter closed and a soft smile curve his lips.

“Sorry,” Yuuri whispered when he joined him on the pillow, resting his cheek next to Viktkor’s hand. “I got carried away.”

“You’re still inside me, love.” Viktor cooed, shifting to cup Yuuri’s face in his hand. “It feels great.”

“You’ll want a towel,” Yuuri flushed, looking anywhere but directly at Viktor.

“Oh?” Viktor smiled, tucking a lock of hair behind Yuuri’s ears. “You spoil me, rypka.”

Yuuri frowned, pulling slowly out of Viktor and crossing his arms in front of his chest. Viktor squirmed-- Yuuri had been right-- he was stretched and full of Yuuri’s come and the sensation of it dripping out of him was strange and not entirely pleasant. 

“Sorry, sorry!” Viktor reached for Yuuri, and he begrudgingly snuggled into the Russian’s chest.

“Let a fish do that to you,” Yuuri mumbled with a pout.

~

Disaster began at dinner the next evening.

They spent the day being lazy, Viktor nursing a delicious ache at the base of his spine. They only dressed for dinner-- Viktor decided that it was time to revisit sushi. He found a higher end restaurant, with a set menu so he didn’t have to be surprised at the check at the end of the night. They joined two other couples around the chef's table, making small talk before the chef came with the first course. 

“I’m excited for the main dish-- I’ve never been this adventurous before,” Shiori, one half of one of the other couple was all smiles. Viktor was just glad that no one had noticed Yuuri’s complete abandonment of chopsticks when the first sashimi plate arrived.

The second course was even better-- choice cuts arranged like flowers. Viktor fed Yuuri off his chopsticks, Yuuri’s eyes dark and alluring. He knew his mate was enjoying the food. It felt good to show off in front of other of his own kind-- to have Yuuri’s weight pressed against him. 

The disaster was, after all, the main dish.

Shiori giggled nervously, the other couple squealing nervously when the chef arrived with a bowl. 

“I wonder what it is,” Viktor stretched to look before he felt like his entire body had been plunged into ice.

The chef pulled an octopus from the bowl, severing its head from its body with a solid chop and flash of a knife.

Viktor couldn’t look away as the chef chopped up the squirming arms, his stomach twisting as a still-moving tentacle was dropped onto a plate in front of him.

He didn’t have time to refuse it before the chef sprinkled soy and sesame seeds over it and began on chopping and severing several smaller octopi no bigger than Viktor’s palm.

“Viktor-san…” Naho reached over her wife to pat his hand. “You should take Yuuri for a break.”

Viktor snapped out of his shock only to feel even more sick-- to see his lover’s fist pressed against his mouth, his eyes streaming with tears. 

“Yuuri-- let’s go--” Viktor lifted Yuuri under his arms, only to have him thrash violently under his grasp. 

Viktor stumbled,nearly tripping over Yuuri’s chair. He didn’t have time to hope that the other couples didn’t notice the unnatural movement of his lower limbs as he dragged Yuuri to the street outside.

“ _ Don’t touch me! Let go!”  _ Yuuri screamed in his own dialect at first, pushing Viktor back when they fell down the door step. “Why would you do something like that?” Yuuri sobbed.

“Oh god, Yuuri , I swear I didn’t know--” Viktor gasped, trying to keep hold of Yuuri even as he struggled.

“Those were babies! Children!” Yuuri wailed. “You eat for entertainment? That is what your people like to do?”

Viktor shuddered, shaking his head. “No-- not my people--”

“Japanese or not! YOUR people.” Yuuri snarled.

Viktor faltered. He had a point. Yuuri’s family had to hunt sustainably-- their home was the only place they had.

“This is my fault, Yuuri. I didn’t know---” His chest heaved with a gag. “I’m sorry.”

Yuuri, at least, stopped fighting. He stopped pushing Viktor away, but he didn’t move any closer.

“I want to go home,” Yuuri whimpered, wiping his nose on the cotton sleeve of the shirt they had buttoned over his wet-suit.

“Of course. Do you want to stop--”

“I’m not hungry,” Yuuri sniffed.

Viktor tried his best to undo the buttons of Yuuri’s outfit before Yuuri popped them open. Yuuri stripped as soon as the hotel room door swung closed. He turned on the tub faucet without a word, filling it with cold water-- plain language that Viktor was not to join him.


	8. Chlorine

Sleep evaded Viktor that night. Once Yuuri had sunk under the surface of the water, he had stayed there. He had ignored fingers dancing across the top of the water and any other attempts at communication. Viktor could see him clearly-- his arms human and tentacle alike hiding his face, curled at the bottom of the tub.

He should have researched the meal better. He should have spoken out. He should have comforted Yuuri instead of argued whether or not his people were responsible. They had never argued before, and Viktor was at a loss of what to do.

He was deep in thought-- considering how to apologize, when his mind and eyes were snapped back to focus by a cold drop of water falling on his cheek. He blinked, finally really seeing Yuuri looking down at him, his inky black hair stuck to his forehead.

“Yuuri---” Viktor’s mouth was dry-- he hadn’t eaten or drank anything since their escape from dinner.

“I’m tired of being upset.” Yuuri averted his eyes, soaking the bedsheets and dripping onto Viktor’s shirt. “I’m sorry I was mad at you. It wasn’t your fault.”

“I could have done better. That was...scary.” Viktor let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He lifted a hand, cupping Yuuri’s soft cheek and tilting his chin enough that when he arched his back, he could reach Yuuri’s lips for a kiss.

Yuuri immediately fell against him, his wet skin soaking Viktor’s clothes, his tentacles wrapping around his torso and legs. Yuuri must have went right from the tub to the bed.

“Yuuri,” Viktor gasped between kissing and a much-needed break for air. “Let’s go for a swim.”

“It’s dangerous for you to go in at night.” Yuuri retorted, shooting the idea down at once. He couldn’t protect Viktor from predators in darkness.

“Ah--well, there’s a pool in this hotel. We can go there. It has lights and heated water--”

“And people.” Yuuri added. “It’s ok---”

“Yuuri, listen. It’s one in the morning, and the pool closed at ten. It’ll just be me and you, I promise. Just trust me.” Nerves sparked in Viktor’s stomach. He had never done anything illegal-- skating and training kept him from going to parties or trying anything that might pop up in a drug test.

He hadn’t thought of the ice for a long time.

“I… trust you.” Yuuri smiled in a way that told him that while maybe it wasn’t true, Yuuri was trying.

Viktor ended up tucking Yuuri into the wheelchair, his lap and legs covered with blankets so they could traverse the distance between their hotel room and the pool without looking suspicious. He stripped down to his panties, slipping on a robe and slippers. The less clothing to deal with, the faster they could escape should the hotel have security.

Yuuri positively glowed when they reached the pool-- the room dark except for the underwater lights, casting his face in an ethereal blue light. He dove right from his chair into the water, swimming the perimeter of the pool faster than he had ever traveled on land. Viktor watched him, entranced, before his mate’s head broke the water and Yuuri implored him to join him.

Viktor dove under, forcing his eyes open to watch Yuuri underwater. He tried his best to hold his breath, watching his easy movements before the burning in his lungs forced him to surface. Yuuri followed him when he changed to swimming laps instead, and when he got tired, Yuuri pulled him around the pool by his ankles, giggling the whole way through.

They spent two hours in the water without being found, the last part of their time spent floating on top of the water, holding hands like two otters.

“I’m tired,” Yuuri murmured, his hair floating around his head like a halo.

“We can sleep in, I promise.” Viktor kicked toward the edge of the pool, sitting on the rough cement ledge so he could help pull Yuuri out of the water.

Viktor crawled into bed with Yuuri, ignoring a shower in favor of sleep after along and stressful night.

~

“Starlight, I think we slept too long,” Viktor grunted, rubbing his eyes as midday sunlight hit his pillow. He reached for his phone-- past 12:30 already. Yuuri was probably already awake, considering he had probably slept during their tense evening apart.

Then Viktor’s hand hit a solid form, and Viktor realized that Yuuri was still in bed. Moreover, his breathing came as a slow, labored rasp. Panic shot Viktor up, any exhaustion erased by terror.

“Yuuri?” Viktor’s heart beat stattaco, his hands pushing off the sheets. Yuuri’s tan skin was pink, and his midnight-blue skin was clouded by a milky white slime coat. The gills at Yuuri’s neck worked hard as his lungs.

“Oh god, Yuuri, wake up. Please.” Viktor lifted Yuuri from the bed, immediately regretting it as his mate’s face crumpled in pain.

At least he was alive.

Viktor went back to his phone, hands shaking as he scrolled through and found the number of Daisuke, the Japanese skater who had helped him before.

“H--hello? Hi, yeah, it is really sunny. I, uh… Remember Yuuri?” Viktor’s voice shook. “Yes… yes… No, I don’t have time, but I was hoping you know what to do. We went swimming last night and now he looks burned, it’s hard for him to breath--” Viktor’s voice broke.

But somehow, even with tear-stained English, Daisuke received the message. He sent the address of the three closest fish and pet stores, along with screenshots of the bottles of water additives used to treat any fish ailment Daisuke could think.

Viktor gave a taxi driver another hundred thousand yen to take him to each store and wait while he swept the entire stock into a shopping basket. Viktor only paused when he made it back to the hotel to watch Yuuri’s chest rise and fall, before he twisted the cap off every bottle and dumped it into the bathtub.

“I am so, so sorry,” He breathed when he scooped Yuuri into his arms, his muscles tensing until he was lowered into the bathtub, and the easily 64,000 ruble luquid inside it.

Every englsh and russian aquarium group said that the only treatment for clorine posioning was better water. Viktor hoped that covering every ailment that could be contained in pool water would help.

He kept a bathside vigil, leaving only to take room service orders of sashimi, which he cut into smaller pieces for Yuuri. After a few days, his curled tentacles relaxed, and the ruined slime coat shed like a sunburn. His eyes opened, still red and irritated, and his fingers curled around Viktor’s, contact at the surface of the bath.

It took another week or two before he fully recovered-- enough to leave the bath, which Viktor drained and filled with another case of medicine. But Yuuri kept his head above the water while Viktor was awake, refusing to talk to him until he ate and showered properly. They watched movies together, Viktor ordering a tablet and bath pillow to be delivered to the room. He didn’t leave the room out of guilt, and partially because there was no reason to go out without Yuuri.

Even when Yuuri was strong enough to leave the bath, Viktor didn’t dare damage his tender new skin with the wet suit. He made sure to keep him damp, even when he sat at the table with Viktor to eat dinner. Yuuri ate the rare meat, leaving the peppers and onions for Viktor to enjoy.

“I want to go on a date tomorrow,” Yuuri smiled, happy at himself for his new vocabulary word he gleaned from the multiple rom-coms they had watched together.

“I don’t know, I’ll have to find enough blankets to hide your--” Viktor’s thought was interrupted by a rap at the door.

Viktor got up to open the door-- he wasn’t expecting any more room service. He froze at the uniformed pair of officers.

“Um.. hello?” Viktor kicked at himself for using English. Just because Yuuri spoke ‘Common’ didn’t mean he could get comfortable.

“Viktor Nikiforov?” The taller female officer asked. “We are from Japanese Immigration Services.”


	9. Here

Viktor pasted on his media smile. “Come in… please. Is there an issue with my passport? I have another eight days on my entry permit.”

The shorter officer carried multiple black bags. None of them seemed to have handcuffs or weapons, but it was suspicious.

“We were referred here by the Maritime National Defense Force.” The female officer said, her uniform neatly pressed. Viktor looked back to their breakfast table-- Yuuri was still in his chair, clothesless due to his still-sensetive healing skin. 

“You can’t take him.” Viktor swallowed back the panic rising in his throat.

“Are you married?” The officer looked pointedly from Viktor’s right hand to the gold ring on Yuuri’s ink black finger.

“Yes! Yes. We are. I haven’t registered in Russia, but in his culture---”

“The defense force reported finding you on an island in Japanese waters.” The second officer spoke up. “We are here to register your husband as a rightful Japanese citizen.”

Viktor blinked, the panic bubbling down into relief. “Oh.”

“You can apply for a spousal visa at city hall. We only have the forms for your husband to be registered with the government.” The first officer cleared her throat. “May we set up on the table?”

Viktor nodded eagerly, moving the breakfast plates onto the dresser. Yuuri questioned the officers in Japanese, though he never looked more comfortable in their company. He squinted at the forms they set in front of him, holding the black-ink pen by the tips of his fingers. It took them twenty minutes before they gave up and talked while filling out the forms for him. Yuuri’s hands were stiff as they rolled his fingers over an ink pad and onto a paper. He shrunk away from the DSLR camera, and flinched when the flash blinded him. Viktor quietly stepped away, discreetly pressing a towel onto Yuuri’s lap to mop up the ink before it dripped onto the floor.

The officers pulled a printer and laptop out of the bags, and three hours later, Yuuri had a laminated national ID and koseki form presented to him in a stiff white envelope. Yuuri took it with a bow of his head, holding it use;essly until Viktor escorted them to the door.

Viktor sighed, resting against the door as soon as he heard the sound of footsteps fade down the hallway. 

“You did so well, Yuuri.” Viktor rushed forward to the table, relaxing even more when Yuuri wrapped himself around him. His tentacles hugged his waist tightly, his nose nuzzling hsi mate’s neck.

“I don’t understand.” Yuuri murmured, his glasses biting into his cheek. “Why were you scared?”

Viktor worried his bottom lip. “You could tell?”

“You’re my mate.” Yuuri pouted. “Why?”

“I… you have to have paperwork to be in different countries, and I was scared I would have to leave and go back to Russia.””  
“But… it’s land too, isn’t it? Why would they take you away?” Yuuri stiffened. “Are they going to take you? They said I’m Japanese… You’re not Japanese?”

Viktor sighed, hugging Yuuri’s waist tighter against himself. “I thought that… but I think now, that was a gift. Now we can go to the government and tell them that we’re together.. And I can stay longer.”

“What if they didn’t come? What were they going to do? You said you had eight days.” Yuuri sounded angry-- the first time he had sounded angry in weeks. 

“Viktor.” Yuuri growled when he didn’t answer right away.

“I don’t know, my love. I was worried more about you… I didn’t think much beyond maybe a boat back to our island.”

“What if Russia took you from me?” Yuuri hiccuped. He twisted away from Viktor, his hands leaving his mates shoulders to palm at his cheeks, face twisted in confusion at the strange sensation of tears rolling down his cheeks.

“They didn’t. They won’t.” Viktor’s heart broke at the sight. “I promise.”

“But what if they did? What would I do? I don’t even read… they had to do everything for me. You do everything for me. I can’t read. I can’t write. I can’t skate. If you leave, I don’t have anything.”

Yuuri’s chest racked with a sob, his tentacles the only thing keeping him upright and close to Viktor. His chest heaved with shallow, fast breathing, his black fingers curled into his pink palms. 

“They won’t. It’s okay. It’s okay, love.” Viktor’s hands moved from Yuuri’s back to his cheeks, unsure where to soothe his mate first. 

“I don’t want to be here anymore,” Yuuri whimpered, the panic twisting him up into a knot. 

And so, Viktor began planning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a public Twitter now @cremewrites


End file.
